Tones And Theories

In addition, The Tone Clock contains a broad selection of Peter Schat's polemical writings, embracing historical, political, aesthetic and environmental perspectives. His book is not just of interest to composers, but it also provides a valuable insight for anyone interested in the development of twentieth-century music. Peter Schat, a former pupil of Pierre Boulez, exposes more than a new theory of music in The Tone Clock. Although he is a long-experienced serialist composer, in devising and using his tone clock system he has reached the clarity and simplicity which comprise two of his major compositional aims. His book, profusely illustrated with clearly analysed musical examples, will enable other composers to achieve similar aims in their own way, while remaining faithful to their own musical personalities. A former pupil of Pierre Boulez, Peter Schat is a well-known Dutch contemporary serialist composer.

In psycholinguistic research there has traditionally been a strong emphasis on understanding how particular language types of are processed and learned . In particular, Romance and Germanic languages (e.g. English, French, German) have, until recently, received more attention than other types, such as Chinese languages. This has led to selective emphasis on the phonological building blocks of European languages, consonants and vowels, to the exclusion of lexical tones which, like consonants and vowels, determine lexical meaning, but unlike consonants and vowels are based on pitch variations. Lexical tone is pervasive; it is used in at least half of the world’ languages (Maddieson, 2013), e.g., most Asian and some African, Central American, and European languages. This Research Topic brings together a collection of recent empirical research on the processing and representation of lexical tones across the lifespan with an emphasis on advancing knowledge on how tone systems are acquired. The articles focus on various aspects of tone: early perception of tones, influences of tone on word learning, the acquisition of new tone systems, and production of tones. One set of articles report on tone perception at the earliest stage of development, in infants learning either tone or non-tone languages. Tsao and Chen et al. demonstrate that infants’ sensitivity to Mandarin lexical tones, as well as pitch, improves over the first year of life in native and non-native learners in contrast to traditional accounts of perceptual narrowing for consonants and vowels. Götz et al. report a different pattern of perception for Cantonese tones and further demonstrate influences of methodological approaches on infants’ tone sensitivity. Fan et al. demonstrate that sensitivity to less well-studied properties of tone languages, such as neutral tone, may develop after the first year of life. Cheng and Lee ask a similar question in an electrophysiological study and report effects of stimulus salience on infants’ neural response to native tones. In a complementary set of studies focused on tone sensitivity in word learning, Burnham et al. demonstrate that infants bind tones to newly-learned words if they are learning a tone language, either monolingually or bilingually; although it was also found that object-word binding was influenced by the properties of individual tones. Liu and Kager chart a developmental trajectory over the second year of life in which infants narrow in their interpretation of non-native tones. Choi et al. investigate how learning a tone language can influence uptake of other suprasegmental properties of language, such as stress, and demonstrate that native tone sensitivity in children can facilitate stress sensitivity when learning a stress-based language. Finally, two studies focus on sensitivity to pitch in a sub-class tone languages: pitch accent languages. In a study on Japanese children’s abilities to recognise words they know, Ota et al. demonstrate a limited sensitivity to native pitch contrasts in toddlers. In contrast, Ramachers et al. demonstrate comparatively strong sensitivity to pitch in native and non-native speakers of a different pitch accent system (Limburghian) when learning new words. Several studies focus on learning new tone systems. In a training study with school-aged children, Kasisopa et al. demonstrate that tone language experience increases children’s abilities to learn new tone contrasts. Poltrock et al. demonstrate similar advantages of tone experience in learning new tone systems in adults. And in an elecrophysiological study, Liu et al. demonstrate order effects in adults’ neural responses to new tones, discussing implications for learning tone languages as an adult. Finally, Hannah et al. demonstrate that extralinguistic cues, such as facial expression, can support adults’ learning of new tone systems. In three studies investigating tone production, Rattansone et al. report the results of a study demonstrating kindergartners’ asynchronous mastery of tones – delayed acquisition of tone sandhi forms relative to base forms. In a study interrogating a corpus of adult tone production, Han et al. demonstrate that mothers produce tones in a distinct manner when speaking to infants; tone differences are emphasised more when speaking to infants than to adults. Combining perception and production of tones, Wong et al. report asynchronous development of tone perception and tone production in children. The Research Topic also includes a series of Opinion pieces and Commentaries addressing the broader relevance of tone and pitch to the study of language acquisition. Curtin and Werker discuss ways in which tone can be integrated into their model of infant language development (PRIMIR). Best discusses the phonological status of lexical tones and considers how recent empirical research on tone perception bears on this question. Kager focuses on how language learners distinguish lexical tones from other sources of pitch variation (e.g., affective and pragmatic) that also inform language comprehension. Finally, Antoniou and Chin unite evidence of tone sensitivity from children and adults and discuss how these areas of research can be mutually informative. Psycholinguistic studies of lexical tone acquisition have burgeoned over the past 13 years. This collection of empirical studies and opinion pieces provides a state-of-the-art panoply of the psycholinguistic study of lexical tones, and demonstrate its coming of age. The articles in this Research Topic will help address the hitherto Eurocentric non-tone language research emphasis, and will contribute to an expanding narrative of speech perception, speech production, and language acquisition that includes all of the world’s languages. Importantly, these studies underline the scientific promise of drawing from tone languages in psycholinguistic research; the research questions raised by lexical tone are unique and distinct from those typically applied to more widely studied languages and populations. The comprehensive study of language acquisition can only benefit from this expanded focus.

The Mathematical Theory of Tone Systems patterns a unified theory defining the tone system in functional terms based on the principles and forms of uncertainty theory. This title uses geometrical nets and other measures to study all classes of used and theoretical tone systems, from Pythagorean tuning to superparticular pentatonics. Hundreds of exa

The Mathematical Theory of Tone Systems patterns a unified theory defining the tone system in functional terms based on the principles and forms of uncertainty theory. This title uses geometrical nets and other measures to study all classes of used and theoretical tone systems, from Pythagorean tuning to superparticular pentatonics. Hundreds of examples of past and prevalent tone systems are featured. Topics include Fuzziness and Sonance, Wavelets and Nonspecificity, Pitch Granulation and Ambiguity, Equal Temperaments, Mean Tone Systems. Well Tempered Systems, Ptolemy Systems, and more. Appendices include extended lists of tone systems and a catalogue of historical organs with subsemitones.

Unlock essential guitar theory to boost your ability and confidence as a guitarist. Easy language. Music reading not required! (includes audio lessons - see inside book for details) Inside the 12 chapters of this guitar theory book you’ll learn about intervals, triads, major and minor keys, chord sequences - and understand how to apply them to your playing, improvising and songwriting. I’ll use diagrams and simple, non-intimidating language to teach you in minutes, things which confuse some guitarists for years. This guitar music theory book is for you if: - You want to boost your music theory knowledge so you can become the guitar player you really want to be - You’re a singer songwriter who needs to learn about chords, keys and chord progressions in order to write great songs (like you hear on recordings!) - You want to learn music theory but are unsure where to start - You’re a student who needs a crash course in music theory essentials to prepare for college auditions, entrance exams etc - You’re a beginner who wants to easily learn how music works as you take your first steps in learning to play guitar so you can avoid confusion, improve faster and learn more easily - You feel confused and intimidated by the ‘jargon’ you hear other musicians or YouTube teachers use - You ‘kind of’ understand theory… but you’re not really sure how well! What will this book teach you about? In the 12 lessons you’ll find super clear explanations, practical examples and quiz questions on: - The Musical Alphabet (the only 12 notes used in all music!) - Tones and Semitones - The Major Scale (learn what it actually is…) - Major and Minor Triads (as used in most pop, country, rock and folk music) - Major Scale Intervals (major 3rds, perfect 4ths...what are they?) - Chromatic Intervals (discover what weird names like diminished and augmented really mean) - Major Keys (Parts 1 & 2) - Chord Progressions (start writing pro sounding chord sequences and songs of your own) - Pentatonic Scales (the most common guitar scales ever…) - The Natural Minor Scale (essential for minor key soloing in rock, pop and other styles) - Minor Key Basics (learn the secrets of awesome minor key songs and chord sequences) How will you learn and remember all this? Easy! Each chapter introduces a new element of guitar theory. You get a clear but detailed explanation of the concept and multiple examples/practical exercises, FAQs and more to drive your understanding home. Test yourself using the quiz questions at the end of each chapter (answers supplied). To help you play certain practical examples there is also an appendix of common open chord shapes and barre chords at the back of the book. Plus, every chapter is also available to you as an audio file so you can immerse yourself in guitar theory whilst at the gym or walking the dog! You'll find details for these in the book. You Can Do This … and without all the bull! 'No Bull Music Theory for Guitarists' will make your journey as a guitarist much more enjoyable and way less confusing than mine has been! As a self-taught 18 year old guitarist, it literally took me years to figure this stuff out. I’ve taught the material in this book to thousands of musicians around the world both in person and via my website, and I can tell you this: Learning about music theory doesn’t need to be scary, confusing, difficult or something that you avoid doing because you don’t know where to start. It's time to become the guitar player you know you could be!

The 1875 translation of Helmholtz's classic 1863 publication, which influenced composers and musicologists well into the twentieth century.